September 10: Dalian Ends Two-Matches-in-a-Week Schedule, Battle for Second Place Against West Coast Will Be Tough, Zhu Pengyu Aims for Cup Return

After finally surviving the brutal schedule, Dalian Yingbo has received good news: they will no longer have two matches in one week this season.

In Dalian in September 2026, the wind already carries a hint of sea chill. At the substitute bench beside the Suoyu Bay training ground, the team doctor has half a box of ice packs ready, and the players' steps during training are much lighter than last month. Nobody expected a team that conceded nine goals in its first two matches of the season to grit its way through and remain in the title race group.

People still remember the winter transfer window, when the entire Dalian fan community was worried. Reinforcements dragged on until the final day, when Achimpen was signed at the last moment. The opening match was a heavy defeat, with chants calling for Li Guoxu to leave ringing through the stands, and the atmosphere in the dressing room became extremely tense.

Looking back now, this team has forged its spirit through hardship. The old problem of becoming timid against strong opponents has disappeared this year. None of the teams near the top of the table can easily take points from Dalian. The key is not expensive foreign signings, but the determination of all 11 players to keep tracking back even when exhausted.

During the previous congested schedule, even young substitutes had to keep playing continuously. In the 2-1 win over Hauniu, Alimi was holding his knee and gasping for breath after the final whistle, barely able to raise his hand to wipe sweat. On the sideline, Li Guoxu gripped his tactics board so tightly that his knuckles turned pale—he knew better than anyone that the players had reached their limits.

The good news is that the hardest period has passed.

The remaining four league matches and one FA Cup semifinal will all follow a one-match-per-week rhythm. The players can finally get proper rest, recover without rushing to prepare for the next game, and build enough fitness for every battle.

Is there still a theoretical chance of winning the title? Come on, Chengdu Rongcheng is only one point away from securing the championship, and it makes no sense to chase an unrealistic first place.

Fighting for second place is Dalian's most realistic goal this year.

Second place in the league can earn an AFC Champions League place, and the FA Cup champion can also do so. Both routes remain in their own hands, so there is no reason not to fight.

The upcoming opponents—Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger—are all difficult. But with Dalian's current tactical system, they are not afraid of anyone. The real tough challenge is the away match against Qingdao West Coast on October 11.

This match is clearly a six-point battle.

The two teams are separated by only two points. The winner can move upward, while the loser could fall out of the AFC Champions League zone. Even more troublesome is that West Coast has almost become Dalian's natural nemesis.

Last year, with Shao Jiayi in charge, West Coast defeated Dalian home and away. In this year's first meeting at Suoyu Bay, Dalian also suffered a comprehensive defeat.

It will truly be difficult.

Malcom? Malela is basically out for the season, and whether he can stay with the team remains uncertain. Without a center forward providing a focal point in the box, Dalian's positional crossing attack becomes ineffective and they can only rely on transitions to create chances. Achimpen leads the line as the lone striker, with Delgado, Luo Jing, Feng Boxuan and others rotating behind him depending on fitness and match situations.

There is also another hope—Zhu Pengyu.

The youngster is recovering well. Although he has not yet entered the squad list, he has continued traveling with the team, and there are no major issues with his movement. He will likely miss the league, but he is pushing hard to return for the FA Cup quarterfinal away match against Yunnan Yukun on November 22.

"I will try to make it back for the cup and fight together with my teammates." When he told the team doctor this, his eyes were full of determination.

The international break is not entirely good news.

Mao Weijie has been selected for the Asian Games squad, while Stanciu and Alimi also have duties with their respective national teams. Nobody knows what condition they will return in.

This year's Chinese Super League has been as chaotic as a pot of porridge.

Chongqing Tongliang Dragon, which had held second place for a long time, suddenly fell away for unknown reasons. Qingdao West Coast quietly climbed upward, and Dalian fought its way back into second place. Who will eventually claim AFC Champions League qualification remains impossible to say before the final round.

Yunnan Yukun is also the most powerful attacking team in this year's Chinese Super League and clearly wants to chase an AFC Champions League place. When they meet in the FA Cup, Dalian and Yukun should produce a fiercely contested match.

Simply put, Dalian reaching this point has exceeded many people's expectations. At the start of the season, who could have imagined that the team which conceded nine goals in its first two matches and nearly saw its head coach dismissed could compete with strong teams and chase AFC Champions League qualification on two fronts?

It was not achieved by spending heavily on players, but through resilience built match by match and the refusal to give up until the end.

Now the schedule is lighter and fitness is guaranteed, but tough matches will test the team's true quality even more.

Against West Coast, after being restricted by this opponent for so long, can Dalian recover in this six-point battle? Can Zhu Pengyu return in time for the cup? Can Dalian finally reach the threshold of the AFC Champions League this year?

Do you think Dalian Yingbo can hold onto second place in the end? Share your thoughts in the comments.